A very simple what if: hadn't Covid-19 happened, and had the Euros and Olympics actually taken place in 2020, who do you think would've come out on top? I doubt Italy could've won the Euro final, without one more year to prepare for the cup - that kind of teamwork takes time, especially since the squad was very young for Italian standards. A Belgium-England final would've been far more likely.
Sports What Ifs.
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WI Ayrton Senna did not have that fatal crash on 1 May 1994 - where would his career have gone from there, how would things change, would he be a more highly influential figure as time went on? What would this mean for motorsports and safety development?
AFAIK, he was friends with Minardi's owner, and he wanted to spend his last season (most likely in the late 1990s or early 2000s) racing for Minardi for free - since he was aware of the company's financial woes. That would've allowed Minardi to get a lot of money, basically for free. So, Senna wins a couple more championships with McLaren, moves to Minardi when he feels like his career's winding down, and probably saves the company from being bought by Red Bull.
Today, he's a co-owner of the company, that has actually become decent when it comes to race results (just like OTL Red Bull's feeder team), while keeping its indie, laid-back vibe, top-notch coffee-brewing skills, and uncanny ability to stumble on young drivers destined for future greatness. Quite a few Brazilian and Italian drivers that were never able to make it to Formula 1 in OTL could drive one of their cars, too.
The livery of Minardi during Senna's year at the company, that was eventually adopted by the team in perpetuity when their better finances allowed them not to be painted in the colours of their sponsor of the year, every year.
1919 "Black Sox" Scandal never discovered - Assume that despite some suspicions, the 1919 fixed World Series is never discovered or thoroughly investigated.
1. Joe Jackson plays out his career and gets into the HOF.
2. Buck Weaver probably turns out to be a pretty solid third baseman and may make it to the HOF.
3. Eddie Cocotte has several more big seasons and may make it to the HOF.
4. The Chicago White Sox continue to be a powerhouse team for at least 3 or 4 more years.
5. Is there a difference in terms of banning the spit ball or creating a livelier baseball to encourage home runs. Does baseball not go in this direction because there is no need to attract more fans?
6. Does Landis not become Commissioner and does this have an effect on the racial integration of baseball?
7. Any significant effects on organized crime or politics?
1. Joe Jackson plays out his career and gets into the HOF.
2. Buck Weaver probably turns out to be a pretty solid third baseman and may make it to the HOF.
3. Eddie Cocotte has several more big seasons and may make it to the HOF.
4. The Chicago White Sox continue to be a powerhouse team for at least 3 or 4 more years.
5. Is there a difference in terms of banning the spit ball or creating a livelier baseball to encourage home runs. Does baseball not go in this direction because there is no need to attract more fans?
6. Does Landis not become Commissioner and does this have an effect on the racial integration of baseball?
7. Any significant effects on organized crime or politics?
Depends on who would be a solid fit to gain the first Commissioner post? Would be nice to have a world where John McGraw wasn't ill and became the first Commissioner of Baseball, but I am betting ASB on that end
Depends on the POD. In my TL, Senna finds out Honda is leaving McLaren early enough to goes to Williams in 1992, and thus gets in on the FW15 program. From there, he surmises the rule changes coming from two seasons of Mansell-Senna-Newey Williams domination will require a revolutionary, not evolutionary approach to the FW16, which is also safer.
In 1976, the Bengals win 12 games with Walsh and get the 2-seed. They still lose to the Raiders in Week 13 on MNF, but in the playoffs, Walsh's brilliance comes through, and he leads the Bengals to a SB title.
In 1977, Cincy wins their second straight division title (and fourth of the 70's), but they lose to the Cinderella Broncos in the AFC Title Game.
Then, in 1978, Ken Anderson gets hurt, and the Bengals fall back behind the resurgent 14-2 Steelers and upstart Browns and Oilers (with rookie Earl Campbell).
In 1979, Cincy is picking eighth in the draft after a 6-10 season. In OTL, the Bengals drafted Jack Thompson. However, Walsh isn't as high on him. Besides, in this world, the Giants take him sixth overall, leaving Phil Simms (a guy Walsh liked in OTL) available to be drafted by Cincinnati (Montana falls to the fourth round in this world, and the Vikings take him instead of Steve Dils).
79 is still a tough season (but 7-9 instead of 4-12), and the Bengals end up taking RB Earl Cooper and LB Keena Turner in the first two rounds. In OTL, the Bengals started 3-4 before fading, but in this world, they start off 7-0 and finish 11-5, winning the Central after beating Cleveland 30-27 in OT.
Walsh is able to lead Cincy back to the SB, where they win over the Eagles. They also make the playoffs the next few years. However, after the 83 season (with USFL departures and rumors of drug abuse), Walsh is let go, and replaced by Marv Levy, who was let go in KC a year earlier.
The Olympics in Tokyo right now is one big what-if example. I'm sure the butterflies caused by COVID-19 have impacted the athletes' performances that those who win (or lose) in OTL would have had the opposite result in a world without the virus.
In 1988, Seattle's trade for QB Kelly Stouffer (the player the Cardinals drafted the year before in the first round, but couldn't sign) had a bigger impact than I thought (I am looking at the Sporting News archives again).
Kelly Stouffer's agent was Mike Blatt, who had no problem working out a contract with Mike McCormack, Seattle's president and GM at the time. However, this is where things get interesting: The Nordstrom family (who owned the Seahawks at the time) were looking for a new owner. Blatt put them in touch with Ken Behring, which was terrible for the Seahawks.
For one, Behring fired McCormack as GM and hired Tom Flores. It was those two who decided to draft Dan McGwire in 1991 over Brett Favre (despite what HC Chuck Knox wanted).
Then, Behring came close to moving the team to LA five years later.
Kelly Stouffer's agent was Mike Blatt, who had no problem working out a contract with Mike McCormack, Seattle's president and GM at the time. However, this is where things get interesting: The Nordstrom family (who owned the Seahawks at the time) were looking for a new owner. Blatt put them in touch with Ken Behring, which was terrible for the Seahawks.
For one, Behring fired McCormack as GM and hired Tom Flores. It was those two who decided to draft Dan McGwire in 1991 over Brett Favre (despite what HC Chuck Knox wanted).
Then, Behring came close to moving the team to LA five years later.
A couple of NBA ones:
1. In 1958, the Lakers drafted Elgin Baylor first overall, and they were able to sign him to a 20,000 dollar contract (a hefty sum in those days). However, Bob Short (Laker owner at the time, and the one who would move them to LA two years later) said that the Baylor signing saved the franchise, and that it would have went bankrupt if they couldn't get Baylor signed.
In an NBA with only eight teams, the loss of one team could have been a huge problem. Maybe the league doesn't even survive, and the ABA ends up becoming the main league.
2. In 1992, Spurs owner Red McCombs almost traded Sean Elliott for Charles Barkley. However, he was getting ready to sell the team, and he concluded that Barkley's presence would make the team harder to sell (this was fresh off of a bar fight he had, and he also had an incident where he accidentally spit on a little girl). So, after Red sold the team, Elliott was traded for Dennis Rodman (who was entering his Demolition Man phase).
If Red says "heck with it", the Barkley trade goes through, and it's possible that the Spurs make the Finals (they lost in six games in the second round without Barkley in 93). As a result, the Pop-Duncan era gets butterflied away, and Rodman may never make it to the Bulls because he gets traded somewhere else.
The Suns had a trade worked out for Rodman in 93 (Richard Dumas would have been going to Detroit), but Dumas got suspended for drugs, and the trade fell through. If the Suns or Spurs don't get him, maybe he ends up with the Magic (maybe they send PG Scott Skiles, Nick Anderson, and a 94 and 98 first-rounder to the Pistons) or the Blazers (maybe they send Buck Williams, Harvey Grant, and a couple of firsts to the Pistons).
1. In 1958, the Lakers drafted Elgin Baylor first overall, and they were able to sign him to a 20,000 dollar contract (a hefty sum in those days). However, Bob Short (Laker owner at the time, and the one who would move them to LA two years later) said that the Baylor signing saved the franchise, and that it would have went bankrupt if they couldn't get Baylor signed.
In an NBA with only eight teams, the loss of one team could have been a huge problem. Maybe the league doesn't even survive, and the ABA ends up becoming the main league.
2. In 1992, Spurs owner Red McCombs almost traded Sean Elliott for Charles Barkley. However, he was getting ready to sell the team, and he concluded that Barkley's presence would make the team harder to sell (this was fresh off of a bar fight he had, and he also had an incident where he accidentally spit on a little girl). So, after Red sold the team, Elliott was traded for Dennis Rodman (who was entering his Demolition Man phase).
If Red says "heck with it", the Barkley trade goes through, and it's possible that the Spurs make the Finals (they lost in six games in the second round without Barkley in 93). As a result, the Pop-Duncan era gets butterflied away, and Rodman may never make it to the Bulls because he gets traded somewhere else.
The Suns had a trade worked out for Rodman in 93 (Richard Dumas would have been going to Detroit), but Dumas got suspended for drugs, and the trade fell through. If the Suns or Spurs don't get him, maybe he ends up with the Magic (maybe they send PG Scott Skiles, Nick Anderson, and a 94 and 98 first-rounder to the Pistons) or the Blazers (maybe they send Buck Williams, Harvey Grant, and a couple of firsts to the Pistons).
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Argentina defeats Germany in quarter-final of 2006 World Cup. How Argentina fares against next opponent-Italy? And with Argentina advancing to best four I guess Pekerman is not fired? Under Pekerman would Argentinian national football team function better than IOTL? I'm pretty sure he'd be better in his job than Maradona was and would better use teams' potential.
@Ruperto Pesto
@Ruperto Pesto
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Argentina was a little bit superior than Germany in this QF, specially if you count that Germany was the host. Abbodanzieri's injure had - perhaps - a lot to do because he was a way better goalkeeper than Franco and a way better penalty stopper (e.g. Milan vs Boca in 2003). In OTL, Germany showed that the team had a not good enough physical fit, and Italy took note of that, that's why Manager Lippi put 3 strikers in the last 25 minutes: Gilardino, Iaquinta and Del Piero (in extra time), and paid off
One of the greatest what if of Argentina vs Germany in 2006, actually were three, was Juan Roman Riquelme being substituted by Esteban Cambiasso...and why Messi didn't come in instead of Julio Cruz (the image of Messi, like a sad, frustrated, little child in this match was unique)
Argentina in 2006 had one of their most equilibrated teams in the last 20 years... (perhaps Argentina in 1998 was the other one), one critic to Pekerman was that Zanetti wasn't call for this WC (and Maradona did the same...but well, Maradona was unpredictable...for good and for WORSE). So in my opinion, if Argentina would have reach semifinals, they would have been superior to Italy (perhaps 2-0...two goals by Riquelme -two free kicks - well, dreaming is for free)...and in the final, Argentina would prevail...
Pretty optimistic perhaps, but with reaching semifinals, would be enough to make pressure to Pekerman to stay. He wasn't fire, he quit... some say because after QF Grondona wanted to digitate him some names, that he wasn't agree with some things in AFA. But being into best 4 was enough to Pekerman to regain some power, and to stay.
For 2010, one thing is sure in ATL Pekerman...Argentina won't be defeated 4-0 by Germany, perhaps being Champions in Copa America 2007, and a way better path in WCQ...and probaby, because it depends of other factors, Argentina would be into best 4 this time in Africa. Let's see, Spain the OTL World Champions, did 8 goals in the tournament (Argentina in 1990 with all the injured players they had, and the negative tactics they used due this factors, did 5 goals and was heavy criticized), and was extremely luck not to loose with Paraguay in QF, who missed a penalty when match was 0-0...so thing could have been way different.
Well, perhaps I was very positive but that's my opinion
Favre as a Seahawk butterflies the Mirer draft; he goes elsewhere (AZ?) And if someone else buys the Seahawks and has Favre as QB, it means in all likelihood that the Seahawks are contenders.
One possible wrinkle: the Seahawks build up enough prowess in the AFC that, when realignment happens, the league keeps them there. This means that the Chiefs end up in probably the AFC South, and the obvious team to switch conferences is the Colts. The Cowboys move to the West along with the Cardinals and 49ers.
So your alignment would look like this:
AN
Baltimore, Pitt, Cincy, Cleveland
AE
NE, NYJ, Miami, Buffalo
AS
KC, Jax, Houston, Tenn
AW
Oakland, Seattle, SD, Denver
NN
Same as OTL
NE
Colts, NYG, DC, Philly
NS
Carolina, NO, TB, ATL
NW
49ers, Cards, Cowboys, Rams
Probably a lot of pissed Cowboys fans losing their historical rivalries but getting the 49ers every year twice would probably salve that wound a bit
I think we take the trade offer from SF if we fall into mirer spot.
No chance in hell, Jerry controlled the NFL at the time if anything we get bundled with saints and later Texans
If Jones insists on staying in the East, it’s hard to say who moves. The Colts wouldn’t make sense then, though I wonder if the NFL decides to put the Texans in the NFC. It doesn’t make much sense, though…hmm. Not sure who the logical choice is if it isn’t the Seahawks, who are the team that makes the most sense.
An AFC West team solves the NFC’s problem of having the 49ers and Cardinals on the West Coast, but at the time, the Rams were in St. Louis so a team like the Saints could work. That means the West is the Cards, Saints, Rams and 49ers. The missing South team would be…I dunno, the Jaguars? Bump them to the NFC and stick the Chiefs in the South with the Colts, Texans and Titans.
This makes more sense, Jaguars would feel at home on the BIG XII football of the NFCSouth and Saint would make the NFCW formidable later on if they get a good team like otl(regardless of brees or no)
What if Australia joined CONMEBOL instead of AFC after leaving Oceanian Football Federation? There were talks to move New Zealand to South American zone, although it happened after Australia already joined Asian zone, so perhaps australia is not joining AFC in 2006, but some times later both Australia and NZ join CONMEBOL? Then CONMEBOL, having 12 members instead of 10, would not need to invite guests to Copa America
Such Airplane division, some players would like the trips to Aussies and kiwi lands too. How would be the Qualification? when 7 pm games here would be AM games there, viceversa too
AFC somehow is able to deal with massive time zone differences (like between Australia and Iran) so I think there would be ways to overcome it. I guess in Qualifications last matches of NZ and Australia would be always played on South American soil?